Abstract
THIS entertaining and attractively illustrated volume is a reprint of two earlier works, “Enigmas of Natural History” and “More Enigmas of Natural History”. To the layman who reads for pleasure, and to the biologist who may read for profit, the, author has much to tell that is curious, fascinating, wonderful and puzzling. That is the way of Nature, though we sometimes forget it. But at almost any point, in making casual observations on the life-history or habits of bird or insect, we are brought sharply face to face with the unknown, with phenomena on which the professed biologist so far has little positive to say. A realization of this prevailing state of affairs, an eye for telling examples, and a power of simple, lucid statement, are among the merits of the present work. At the end of almost every paper the author comes to the same point: How was this curious development or relationship brought about in the course of evolution? Is it conceivable that the many complex adaptations, each occupying its proper place and sequence in the individual life-cycle, are merely the result of continuous small variations, or even larger ones? These are still and always will remain topics of major interest in biology. It is good that we should occasionally be reminded of them.
Wonders of Natural History
E. L. Grant
Watson
By. Pp. 192. (London: Pleiades Books, Ltd., 1947.) 8s. 6d. net.
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Wonders of Natural History. Nature 160, 775 (1947). https://doi.org/10.1038/160775b0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/160775b0